‘Your license is gone!’: Transport Minister confronts reckless bus driver on the spot in Kochi

Kakkanad: A private bus driver's reckless driving in Kochi on Tuesday morning prompted immediate action from Kerala Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar.

Around 8:30 AM, the minister was travelling in a private car from Ernakulam to Fort Kochi when he witnessed a private bus being driven at excessive speed, overtaking from the left, and intimidating smaller vehicles on the road. The incident occurred near the Kochi Shipyard.

Caught in the act

The bus, identified as the ‘Rahath’ bus, operating on the Aluva–Island route, overtook the minister’s vehicle from the left, revving aggressively and forcing other motorists to give way. The minister, who was travelling without a police escort or an official ‘Kerala State’ vehicle board, instructed a person in his car to film the dangerous driving on a mobile phone. The footage was immediately sent via WhatsApp to Ernakulam RTO K.R. Suresh.

Following the minister’s complaint, the RTO promptly summoned the driver, Rahim — a native of Kangarappady who is also the owner of the bus — and suspended his driving license for two months. A recommendation was also made to the RTA board to suspend the bus’s permit.

When the bus pulled over at a stop roughly 1.5 kilometers down the road, the minister reportedly rolled down his window, addressed the driver directly, and said, “Your driving license is gone, okay?” before continuing on his journey.

Reckless Driving by Private Buses a Persistent Menace

The incident has once again highlighted the grave issue of reckless and dangerous driving by private bus operators in Kerala. Violations such as overspeeding, overtaking from the left, and harassment of smaller vehicles have become alarmingly frequent — particularly on congested and accident-prone city routes.

Despite numerous passenger complaints, repeated accidents, and strict regulations in place, many private buses continue to flout speed limits and road safety norms.

Camera-based surveillance systems and a series of flash inspections by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) have been deployed in recent months to curb such violations. However, enforcement challenges and lack of consistent penalties have allowed many drivers to operate with impunity.